Night Flames
by V.C.Madrigal
Summary: Many seasons after the end of the Warriors books, life still thrives in Thunderclan, and all of the clans. A kit and a new prophecy are born. A new enemy succeeds where an old one failed. With the help of one or maybe even more members of the old Three, will Nightkit be able to save the clans like the heroes of the past? Well, read and find out ;
1. Prolouge

**~The Prologue~**

A black she-cat laid in a nest of moss and bracken, panting with the effort of giving birth. The moon shone down through a hole in the roof of the den, shimmering on the she-cat's fur, explaining her name Moonshimmer.

A dark brown tabby tom entered the den. "How is she, Jayfeather?" he asked.

The medicine cat glanced up from where he sat by Moonshimmer. "She's doing just fine," he mewed with a flick of his tail.

A few minutes later, a brown tabby tom landed on the floor of the den. "Oh, look Duststar," Moonshimmer mewed to the brown tom, "He looks like you!"

Duststar purred.

A few moments later, a fluffy black she-kit landed in the nest next to her brother.

"She looks like you Moonshimmer," Duststar meowed. Jayfeather watched, whiskers twitching with amusement. Suddenly, they all stiffened.

A rouge she-cat entered the den.

"What are you doing here, Frost?" Duststar snarled.

Frost. Her name could have come from her frost-white fur or her cold, frosty blue eyes. Or perhaps it was the cold menace that came with her mere presence.

"I ran into no trouble with your little warriors on my way in," she sneered. Moonshimmer hissed.

"There's something I'd like to ask of you," Frost meowed, suddenly serious. For the first time, the clan cats noticed the little bundle of white fur at Frost's feet.

Jayfeather gasped.

"A kit!" mewed a ginger queen, standing up from her nest on the other side of the den. Her kits, Sorrelkit and Lionkit, peered over the edge of the nest; Sorrelkit's gaze resting on Frost and the kit, Lionkit's resting on the black she-kit born moments ago...

"Yes, Brightleaf. A kit, my kit. I want Thunderclan to raise my kit as one of their own. Tell her she's yours. Don't mention me at all. Oh, and her name is Waterkit," Frost meowed, not letting anyone interrupt.

Jayfeather, Duststar, Moonshimmer, and Brightleaf gaped at each other.

"I'm serious. No tricks," Frost mewed.

Moonshimmer and Duststar looked at each other. Duststar nodded and Moonshimmer turned to Frost.  
"I will raise Waterkit with Ravenkit," she mewed, touching the tom with her tail, "and Nightkit." touching the she-kit. Frost nodded and left the den.

Jayfeather stood up. "I think you'll be fine now. I'll check Waterkit and then get some sleep."

Shortly after, he left. Brightleaf settled down with her kits, and Duststar said good night and left. Moonshimmer fell asleep, exhausted from labor. Lionkit peeked over the edge of the nest at Nightkit.

"Do you think Nightkit will play with me?" he asked his mother.

"I'm sure she will," Brightleaf answered.

"I hope so..." he murmured. Nightkit blinked her eyes, raising her head. Her flame orange eyes gazed into his amber ones. Then, she laid her head down and fell asleep. Lionkit stayed up, gazing at her, into the night...


	2. Chapter 1

**~Chapter 1~**

Nightkit could hear a voice. "But Mother, Sorrelkit won't play with me," Lionkit's voice filtered in to her.

"Well, you can't wake them up now. Give them time," That was Brightleaf.

"Fine..."

Moonshimmer, Nightkit's mother, purred. _It's time._

Nightkit blinked open her eyes. _Wow! So many colors!_ "Wow!" she squeaked.

They all looked at her in surprise. She stood up. She recognized everyone from when she'd opened her eyes last night. Oh, Sorrelkit wasn't there. She glanced at her littermates. They were asleep.

"Oh," she mewed, disappointed.

"Can we play now?" Lionkit asked his mother.

"Why don't you ask her?" Brightleaf answered, amused.

Lionkit bounced up to Nightkit. "Do you want to play?" he asked her, looking hopeful.

She glanced at her mother. Moonshimmer nodded, "You can play with your littermates later."

Nightkit nodded and ran out of the nursery after Lionkit.

"Where do you want to go?" he asked.

"Umm..." she mewed, uncertain and ignorant.

"Oh, yeah... I'll take you on a tour of camp, and we can end at the medicine den," he decided.  
Nightkit nodded excitedly.

The pair had a great time touring. They met the elders, the leader-Duststar-Nightkit's father, Lionkit's father Rowanblaze and some other warriors, and a very grouchy apprentice woken up in the apprentices' den. The two kits raced out of the den, giggling.

"Now, let's go see Jayfeather," Lionkit mewed, eyes sparkling excitedly.

The medicine cat den smelled herby. Lionkit led her to the cave at the back. "Jayfeather! Are you here?" he called.

A gray tabby tom emerged from the cave, his sightless eyes looking in their direction. _Jayfeather._ Nightkit drew in a sharp breath.

"You're the legendary Jayfeather? From when Firestar and Lionblaze were alive?!" she asked, staring in awe. He nodded.

"Jayfeather is really old," Lionkit piped up.

Nightkit would have thought Jayfeather would be offended, but he just flicked his tail. Lionkit's eyes twinkled mischievously. They must know each other well. She waved her tail happily. "I'm Nightkit."

Jayfeather nodded. "I was there the night you and Ravenkit were born."

Nightkit blinked, confused. Lionkit was shaking his head earnestly at Jayfeather. "But... what about-" Nightkit started.

"And Waterkit of course," Jayfeather put in quickly.

Nightkit narrowed her eyes.

Lionkit and Nightkit stayed for a while, "helping" Jayfeather. As the sun started setting, the kits trotted back to the nursery.

"Hi Mother!" Nightkit greeted Moonshimmer.

"Did you have a good time?" she asked.

Nightkit nodded enthusiastically.

Lionkit purred, then went to his nest and fell asleep. _He's as tired as I am._ "Did Ravenkit or Waterkit open their eyes yet?"

Moonshimmer shook her head.

"Oh..."

"Why don't you all get some sleep, so you can all play tomorrow?" Moonshimmer suggested.

"ALL of you, right Sorrelkit?" Brightleaf put in. Nightkit noticed Sorrelkit lying in the nest.

"Right," Sorrelkit grumbled like she was irritated. _Weird._

"Good night, Lionkit," Nightkit called, assuming he wouldn't hear her.

"Good night," came his murmur. She looked up and they locked eyes.

"Good night," they whispered together...


	3. Chapter 2

**~Chapter 2~**

Nightkit felt a sharp prod in her side. She leaped to her feet, wide awake, and exclaimed "Ow!"

"Waterkit! That wasn't nice!" Moonshimmer scolded.

Waterkit sighed.

"It's okay. I'm fine," Nightkit put in hastily, trying to help her sister. Moonshimmer ignored her and Waterkit just glared. Nightkit's ears flattened.

Then, she noticed Lionkit staring at her. "Hi Lionkit!" she mewed.

"Oh! Yeah, hi!" he responded, looking embarrassed.

"All right you lot! Go play outside," Brightleaf ordered.

Nightkit, Waterkit, Ravenkit, Lionkit, and Sorrelkit all scrambled outside. Waterkit and Ravenkit were looking around, amazed, unlike Lionkit, Sorrelkit, and Nightkit, who were used to the camp.

"Sorrelkit, come with me to Duststar's den," Waterkit called.

"Ok!" the ginger kit mewed, running after the younger she-kit. Ravenkit glanced at Nightkit, and then raced after Sorrelkit.

"Oh..." Nightkit meowed, disappointed again.

"Come on; let's go see if Tanglepaw is in his den," Lionkit said quickly.

Nightkit giggled and followed. Lionkit sure knew how to make her feel better.

It turned out Tanglepaw was there, but this time he wasn't so grouchy. The apprentice taught the kits some battle moves. It turned out that tiny Nightkit is an awesome fighter.

Later, they were lying outside the nursery, watching Waterkit and Sorrelkit play.

"Sorrelkit never plays with me," Lionkit said unexpectedly.

"Why?" Nightkit asked.

Lionkit shrugged, "I don't know. I guess she doesn't like me," he mewed sadly.

"That's ridiculous!" Nightkit mewed fiercely.

Lionkit purred.

Waterkit and Sorrelkit walked up to them. The two she-cats stood over them, cold smirks on their faces.

"We have an idea," Sorrelkit said.

"What?" Lionkit and Nightkit asked at the same time, and they glanced at each other.

"We wanted to see if you could climb the side of the hollow," Waterkit answered, getting their attention again.

Nightkit stared at them, horrified.

The she-cats looked at her and shrugged. They stared down at Lionkit.

"Well?" Sorrelkit prompted.

Lionkit glanced around uncomfortably. Nightkit shook her head earnestly. Lionkit turned to look at his sister and Nightkit's sister. He looked at Nightkit.

"I'll do it," he mewed finally.


	4. Chapter 3

**~Chapter 3~**

Nightkit gaped at him. "You said what?!" she squeaked finally.

Even Ravenkit, who had been standing behind Sorrelkit, looked surprised.

"Good!" Waterkit mewed triumphantly, "We found a good spot for it, too."

She led them all to the spot, and Lionkit started climbing. He was doing ok. He was really high. Nightkit was worried.

Suddenly, Lionkit's paw slipped, and he came plummeting down.

"Lionkit!" Nightkit screamed.

Ravenkit looked terrified, but Waterkit and Sorrelkit just stood there, faces expressionless. That made Nightkit mad.

Her anger propelled her forward. Lionkit landed on her.

"Oof!" She could feel a pain in her leg.

Lionkit rolled off.

"Are you ok?" Ravenkit asked, stepping forward.

"Yes," Lionkit groaned, "Thanks Nightkit."

"You're welcome," she answered, "and I'm fine except my leg hurts."

"You saved his life!" Sorrelkit added, looking grateful. Waterkit was... glaring at her! _What?!_

Brightleaf and Moonshimmer ran up to them with Duststar and Jayfeather. While Jayfeather checked Lionkit and fixed Nightkit's leg, Duststar questioned the kits. "Whose idea was it?" he asked.

Nightkit looked down, and so did Lionkit. "Well?" he prompted, sounding just like Sorrelkit before. Nightkit's head snapped up.

"Sorrelkit and Waterkit," Ravenkit answered before she could.

Waterkit glared, but Sorrelkit looked sincerely sorry.

"Nightkit, Lionkit, go get some rest. Ravenkit, do what you want, but don't get into trouble. I need to talk to these two," Duststar ordered.

"I want Lionkit and Nightkit to stay in my den, just in case," Jayfeather put in.

Duststar nodded. Moonshimmer licked Nightkit's head, and then led Brightleaf away.

"Come on," Jayfeather told them.

Nightkit stayed close to Lionkit as they walked. _That was close._

"You got lucky," Jayfeather said, "If Lionkit had landed in the wrong spot, your spine might have broken."

"Wow," Lionkit said, stunned. They settled in a nest together and fell asleep.

2 Moons Later  
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather underneath the Highledge," Duststar called.

Lionkit and Sorrelkit stepped forward once the clan had assembled.

"Until you are a warrior, you shall be known as Sorrelpaw, and your mentor will be Snowsong," Duststar meowed to Sorrelkit/paw. The ginger apprentice stepped forward to touch noses with her mentor.

"Until you are a warrior, you shall be known as Lionpaw, and your mentor will be Oakstorm," Duststar continued. The golden tom stepped forward to touch noses with his mentor, the deputy.

"Congratulations!" Nightkit mewed, coming up to him.

"Thanks!" he responded, eyes glowing with excitement.

"They didn't do much. Just turned 6 moons old," Waterkit sneered, just walking up.

Sorrelpaw frowned.

"Try a nicer attitude, Waterkit," Nightkit responded, irritated.

Waterkit curled her lip, but Nightkit walked away before a fight could start.

The next day, Nightkit came out of the elders' den with Ravenkit. He played with her now that Sorrelpaw was busy.

The elder, Falconpath, called after them, "Come back the next time you want to hear a story."

They waved their tails good-bye. A few minutes later, they were sitting together in the clearing near the entrance. Every once in a while, one of them would bat the other on the head with a paw. It was a back and forth game.

Duststar walked past. "Stop that, you two," he ordered, amused.

As soon as he was gone, Nightkit batted her brother again. They giggled. Suddenly, Nightkit stiffened. _I know that scent. But from where? _

A white paw stepped through the entrance...


	5. Chapter 4

**~Chapter 4~**

Willowflame, one of the clan elders, looked at the entrance. She let out a cry of warning a second before Frost barreled through the entrance into Nightkit and Ravenkit. Ravenkit raced to the nursery with a squeal. Before Nightkit could take one step, Frost's paw slammed down on top of her.

Duststar stepped forward, claws unsheathed, snarling. The cats of the clan followed suit.

"Not another step or you say good-bye to the kit," Frost yowled.

They all froze. At that point, the clan seemed to notice the huge group of rogues behind Frost.

"You brought friends, I see," Duststar meowed.

Frost laughed coldly. Nightkit had a bad feeling.

"This is only a fourth of my friends. The rest of my friends are divided between the other clan camps," Frost explained cryptically.

Her clanmates looked confused, but Nightkit understood.

"You're taking over all of the clans, aren't you?" Nightkit guessed as best as she could with a massive paw pushing her into the ground.

Frost nodded smugly. Cats gasped all around.

"These are the cats I'm leaving to keep an eye on Thunderclan. Do you surrender or will I have to use force?" Frost asked, pressing harder on Nightkit.

Duststar looked at Oakstorm, and Oakstorm shook his head. Duststar stepped forward.

"Fine, we-" he started.

Nightkit would hear no more. The clan was not going to surrender for her.

She slashed her little claws at Frost's foot. The bigger she-cat lifted her foot in surprise, and Nightkit slipped out from underneath and raced over to Lionpaw. She stood there, crouched and snarling.

The clearing erupted into fighting. Lionpaw pushed her into the nursery. There she watched the horror she'd blame herself for later:

Moonshimmer and Brightleaf were slashing at two toms. Rowanblaze was helping the apprentices fight. A group of rogues was surrounding Oakstorm. Duststar and Frost were facing off. A shriek cut the air. It might have come from Nightkit. Frost and Duststar had crashed straight into the nursery!

Someone's claws slashed into Nightkit's side. She scrambled away. Frost had pinned Duststar down. Nightkit's vision was blurring as Jayfeather came up behind her and carried her to his den.

He pressed on her wound with cobwebs. Nightkit winced. As Jayfeather treated her, she listened to the screeches of the battle behind her.

A sudden bright light flashed between them. When the light cleared, Nightkit and Jayfeather were standing in a glittering forest.

"Where are we?" she asked Jayfeather.

He looked at her surprised, like he thought she shouldn't be there. _Hmmm...  
_  
"This is Starclan's forest. I wonder-" he responded. A fiery orange tom stepped out of the mist, interrupting the medicine cat.

"Firestar?!" Jayfeather gasped.

"Firestar!" Nightkit echoed. _The legendary Firestar! _The old leader looked them both in the eyes and began to speak:

"Starclan has a great prophecy for you. Listen close," he looked deep into Nightkit's eyes, "**Frost will descend on the clans and only Flames in the Night can burn it away.**"

Nightkit was feeling overwhelmed. That prophecy held great power. There was a sudden flash again, and Jayfeather and Nightkit were back in the medicine den. They stared at each other. Then, Nightkit realized something. The camp was silent.

She raced out into the clearing with Jayfeather right behind her. In the clearing, cats were moving around, all of them helping out. Frost stood at the entrance, talking to a battle-scarred rogue. She looked at them, and her frosty blue eyes gleamed.

Nightkit helped Jayfeather heal the injured cats. Eventually, they got the whole story:

After they'd gone to the medicine den, Frost had defeated Duststar. The whole clan had stopped fighting, but sadly Oakstorm had already died fighting the group of rogues.

So, it was official. A prophecy hung over Nightkit's head. Their deputy was gone. The clans had surrendered. Frost was in charge.


	6. Chapter 5

**~Chapter 5~**

Nightkit sat down outside the nursery to watch the clan. A hunting patrol came in with only 3 mice. Ever since Frost had taken over, the clan was starving. _My fault._

Lionpaw came in after the patrol. He carried a fourth mouse. When he saw Nightkit, he trotted over to her. "Want to share the mouse?" he asked, setting it down.

Nightkit shook her head miserably.

"It's not your fault," he told her.

"Yes it is! Oakstorm was our best hunter and a great deputy, and it's my fault he's dead!" she wailed.

"True, but my father is doing a fine job as deputy," Lionpaw retorted.

"Oh, so it is my fault," she challenged.

"No!" he said quickly. He sighed. "Nightkit, you're not to blame. Frost is. It's her fault Oakstorm died, and it's her fault we're starving."

Nightkit shook her head sadly and walked away. She passed Slash, Frost's second in command, on the way. He glanced down and smirked. Nightkit hissed and kept going. She sat down outside Duststar's den and waited for Rowanblaze to finish speaking to her father.

Across the clearing, Slash had stopped in front of Lionpaw. "Did you catch anything?" the rogue asked.

"Nope. Nothing," Lionpaw answered, unwavering.

Slash narrowed his eyes. "You smell like mouse," he growled threateningly.

"I helped Stonesong carry one of his back to camp. They're over there," Lionpaw answered back smoothly, flicking his tail towards the freshkill pile.

Slash grunted and walked away. As soon as he was gone, Lionpaw pulled his mouse from a clump of ferns and snuck it into the nursery. The elders walked in shortly after.

"We have to sneak around to eat. It's sad," Nightkit jumped at her father's voice behind her. Duststar must have come up behind her while she was watching Slash and Lionpaw.

Nightkit nodded.

Duststar sighed. "This is my fault," he told her.

"Why do you say that?" Nightkit asked, shocked. _It's my fault. Isn't it?_

"If I hadn't let-" Duststar stopped when he looked at her.

"Hadn't let what?' Nightkit questioned.

"Nothing. It's not important," Duststar muttered and looked away.

Nightkit narrowed her eyes at him. He stood up and walked away without responding. Nightkit stared after her father through narrowed eyes.

Later, as the sun went down, she was walking back to the nursery when she passed Lionpaw. As he went by, she mewed quietly, "It's not my fault."

He nodded, blinking at her warmly.

As she walked to her den, she couldn't help adding to herself, "It's Frost's fault. Or Duststar's. Or... Someone else's. Someone Duststar won't tell me about."


	7. Chapter 6

**~Chapter 6~**

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather underneath the Highledge," Duststar called as he leaped to it. Cats began to cluster around, staring curiously at Duststar.

When Duster nodded to them, Waterkit, Ravenkit, and Nightkit stepped forward.

"Today we will do something that will help to lift our spirits after the latest... events," Duststar began. "We are naming new apprentices."

Turning to Waterkit, Duststar meowed, "Until you are a warrior, you shall be known as Waterpaw, and your mentor will be Goldenclaw."

Waterpaw nodded stiffly and touched noses with her mentor.

Duststar turned to Ravenkit and continued, "Until you are a warrior, you shall be known as Ravenpaw, and your mentor will be Firesoul."

Eyes shining, Ravenpaw touched noses with his mentor.

As Duststar addressed Nightkit, his voice rang out across the clearing, strong and proud. "Until you are a warrior, you shall be known as Nightpaw, and your mentor will be Rowanblaze."

Looking into her father's shining, proud eyes, Nightpaw nodded at him and touched noses with Rowanblaze.

"Congratulations, you three!" Lionpaw mewed after the ceremony.

"Thanks! I can't believe I get Firesoul as my mentor!" Ravenpaw murmured excitedly.

Nightpaw gave him a playful cuff over the head. "We all got great mentors."

"Yes, I suppose we did. Though, I would have preferred Rowanblaze," Waterpaw meowed, sitting beside Nightpaw with Sorrelpaw on her other side.

"Whatever you say, Waterkit," Nightkit muttered, thinking of how ungrateful her sister was.

"I wonder what we'll do first!" Ravenpaw exclaimed.

"You'll probably check out the territory," Sorrelpaw told him.

"Or get moss for the elders," Lionpaw added, wrinkling his nose.

Later that night, after sharing a robin with Ravenpaw and Lionpaw, Nightpaw entered the apprentices' den. Looking around, she saw two spots to choose from. One between Tanglepaw and Lionpaw and one between Sorrelpaw and Waterpaw. Shaking her head, Nightpaw laid down beside Lionpaw.

In her dreams, Nightpaw found herself in the sparkly forest again.

"Hello?" she called. "Is anyone here?"

Firestar stepped out of the trees with a strong-looking blue-gray she-cat with him.

"Hello, Nightpaw. This is Bluestar. She was leader before me."

"Hello Firestar, Bluestar," Nightpaw mewed, nodding respectfully. "Why am I back here, Firestar? Shouldn't only Jayfeather get visited by Starclan?"

Bluestar purred. "I suppose we usually only visit medicine cats. But this is important, Nightpaw. You are in danger."

"Of course I am. Frost is in charge of us all!" Nightpaw mewed.

Firestar shook his head gravely. "Sadly, Frost will be the least of your worries. She is a problem, definitely, but someone else will be even more dangerous. Be careful."

Nightpaw stared at the old leaders in shock. _More dangerous than Frost?_

"Heed our final warning," Bluestar murmured as she and Firestar slowly faded away. "**Beware the Water that will try to quench the flames.**"

Nightpaw jerked awake in the den, shaking. Her gaze rested on her sister, and she shuddered. Slipping back into sleep, she found herself wondering WHO the water was going to be and what "quench" meant...


End file.
